Beginning January 1st the Department of Defense and Homeland Security are expanding commissary, military exchange and morale, welfare and recreation retail privileges to Veterans who are Purple Heart recipients, Veterans who are former prisoners of war, all Veterans with service-connect disabilities and individuals approved and designated as the Primary Family Caregivers enrolled in the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
DoD sets the conditions for access to DoD installations. The following credentials are approved by DoD:
- Veterans can present their Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) to gain entry to DoD and Coast Guard installations and some commissary stores. The VHIC must display the Veteran’s eligibility status (i.e., PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW, or SERVICE CONNECTED).
- Veterans in category 8e who are not eligible for a VHIC may present their HEC form H623A to demonstrate eligibility for the DoD benefit along with acceptable identification (REALID) credential to gain entry.
- Primary Family Caregivers will receive a letter from the VA Office of Community Care that indicates they are the approved and designated Primary Family Caregiver of an eligible Veteran under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and are eligible for these privileges. Eligible caregivers will need to show an acceptable identification (REALID) credential along with their eligibility letter to gain entry.
Veterans with questions about the VHIC or HEC form H623A should be referred to speak to someone in the VAMC Enrollment/Eligibility Office. Caregivers with questions should be referred to their local Caregiver Support Coordinators or visit https://www.caregiver.va.gov/ for caregiver support services.